1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for creating a partition within a partition in a disk file storage system. More particularly, the invention relates to creating a new partition within the storage space of a pre-existing partition irrespective of the file system type of the pre-existing partition or whether all of the storage space within the new partition is or is not contiguous.
2. Description of Related Art
A disk drive in a data processing system may have its storage space partitioned into one or more contiguous allotments of storage space with each partition set to a selected file system type such as FAT (File Allocation Table), HPFS (High Performance File System), UFS (UNIX File System), etc. To add a new partition in disk storage space already partitioned requires a lengthy process. First, all the files in the existing partition must be back-up preferably to another storage device. Second the old partition is split into a first partition for the old files and a second partition. The first partition must be set to the same file system type as the old partition. The new partition must be set to a selected file system type. Finally, the old files must be restored to the first partition. This process carries significant risk for the old files as dumping these files and then restoring them is not always successful.
Recently, disk space reorganizing programs have become available. These programs simplify the above process for the user. For example, the user may be able to select icons that trigger program routines to perform each of the above operations in repartitioning an existing partition of disk storage space.
What is needed is the ability to add a partition to an existing partition without having to dump and restore files (or preferably not even move files) and without having to delete the old partition to form two new partitions which must then be formatted and otherwise set to the attributes of a selected file system.